Quick-release anchoring apparatus with self-mounted anchor member

ABSTRACT

A quick-release anchoring apparatus includes an anchor member having a flexible base seal member that engages an external reference surface and forms a substantially airtight seal therewith to define a controlled pressure zone. The anchor member includes a central stem extending through an opening of the first auxiliary component. A mounting portion of the stem rigidly self-mounts the anchor member to the first auxiliary component opening. A vent port extends through the anchor member. A vent port upper end is centered within a stem landing zone on the stem upper end. A second auxiliary component is slidably mounted to the first auxiliary component and moves between a vent port closure position wherein the second auxiliary component engages the stem landing zone and blocks the vent port, a vent port open position wherein the second auxiliary component is out of engagement with the stem landing zone and unblocks the vent port.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

The present disclosure relates to anchoring apparatus for releasablysecuring objects to surfaces. More particularly, the disclosure concernsanchoring apparatus with anchor members that adhere to surfaces by wayof differential pressure when flexed. Still more particularly, thedisclosure pertains to anchoring apparatus with quick-releasedifferential pressure venting.

2. Description of the Prior Art

By way of background, anchoring apparatus that operate by way ofdifferential pressure are known. Such apparatus often utilize anchormembers such as suction cups and suction seal stabilizers. A suction cuptypically includes a flexible base seal member configured as anelastomeric dome-shaped structure having a concave lower side and arelatively soft peripheral rim. In order to adhere the suction cup to areference surface, the base seal member must be affirmatively flexed bypressing it against the reference surface with enough force totemporarily flatten the concave lower side so that air is expelledoutside the peripheral rim. When the pressing force is released, thebase seal member has a natural tendency to return to its initial domeshape. As this rebounding occurs, the volumetric cavity that lies insidethe peripheral rim between the base seal member's lower side and thereference surface begins to enlarge. This in turn causes the airpressure in the volumetric cavity to proportionately decrease inaccordance with Boyle's Law. A pressure differential is generated inwhich the pressure within the volumetric cavity is lower than theambient air pressure outside the cavity, thereby resulting in a partialvacuum. The partial vacuum produces a suction force that increases untilan equilibrium condition is reached wherein the elastic forces tendingto return the base seal member to its initial concave configuration arebalanced by the vacuum forces. Attempts to pull the suction cup awayfrom the reference surface will only increase the size of the volumetriccavity and further decrease the air pressure therein. The resultantsuction force will continue to increase until the pulling force becomeslarge enough to break the seal between the base seal member's peripheralrim and the reference surface.

Some suction cups are designed so that they can only be removed from thereference surface by applying sufficient brute lifting force to breakthe seal formed by the base seal member's peripheral rim, or by peelingup the rim to create a small opening that vents the volumetric cavity.Other suction cups are designed with a vent port and are used withanchoring apparatus having a mechanical stopper made of rigid material.The stopper is manually actuated into engagement with the vent port whenit is desired to maintain suction, and is manually actuated out ofengagement with the vent port when it is desired to break the suction.The stopper is typically hand-operable and cannot be actuated except byway of a specific movement pattern that involves the stopper being moveda noticeable distance.

A suction seal stabilizer includes a base seal member that operatessomewhat similarly to a suction cup's base seal member, but is typicallyless concave, or even flat, and usually made from a softer moreresilient material. Alternatively, the base seal member of a suctionseal stabilizer may be constructed of the same material as a suction cupbase seal member, but is thinner and more flexible than its suction cupcounterpart. When a properly designed suction seal stabilizer is placedon a reference surface, no pushing force needs to be applied to flattenthe base seal member apart from the weight of the stabilizer itself andany items or materials that it carries. Such devices are thus generallyself-sealing (self-anchoring) in a manner that is not noticeable to theuser. Because the base seal member is usually highly flexible and mayhave little or no concavity, its elastic rebound forces may berelatively weak and generally insufficient to overcome the opposinggravitational forces bearing down on the suction seal stabilizer. If thebase seal member remains substantially flat against the referencesurface with little or no rebound occurring, the suction forces will benegligible or non-existent. In some designs, the suction seal stabilizermay even be capable of being moved laterally over the reference surfacewith little apparent resistance. On the other hand, large suction forceswill be generated when an attempt is made to pull the suction sealstabilizer away from the reference surface, or tilt the stabilizer, suchas by applying a side load against an object being carried by thestabilizer. This property of suction seal stabilizers is advantageousfor certain applications, such as when the stabilizer supports abeverage container. In that case, the beverage container can be movedlaterally if a side load is applied sufficiently close to the referencesurface, but will resist tipping and spillage when a side load oracceleration force is applied at higher elevations.

In a typical suction seal stabilizer, a vent port is provided forreleasing the stabilizer from the reference surface. In such designs, ananchoring apparatus that incorporates the suction seal stabilizer mayinclude a movable auxiliary component that acts as a mechanical stopperto open and close the vent port. The movable auxiliary component may beconfigured to carry an item or material that is to be anchored by theanchoring apparatus. Lifting the auxiliary component opens the ventport, allowing the anchoring apparatus to be lifted without appreciableresistance. This provides a form of stealth mode operation in which theuser is not aware of the action of the suction seal stabilizer. When theanchoring apparatus is placed back down on the attachment surface, themovable auxiliary component will reengage the vent port, thereby“arming” the suction seal stabilizer into a stabilizing mode.

It is to improvements in the design of anchoring apparatus having anchormembers embodied as suction cups or suction seal stabilizers that thepresent disclosure is directed.

SUMMARY

A quick-release anchoring apparatus includes an anchor member formed ofa non-porous resilient material. The anchor member includes a flexiblebase seal member having a seal member upper side, a seal member lowerside, and a seal member peripheral edge defining an outer periphery ofthe seal member upper side and the seal member lower side. The sealmember lower side is configured to engage an external reference surfaceand form a substantially airtight seal therewith that defines acontrolled pressure zone, the controlled pressure zone being situatedbetween the seal member lower side and the reference surface. The anchormember further includes a central anchor member stem extending upwardlyfrom the seal member upper side. The anchor member stem includes a stemlower end disposed on the seal member upper side and a raised stem upperend. A first auxiliary component has a central opening through which theanchor member stem extends. The anchor member stem includes a stemmounting portion configured for rigidly self-mounting the anchor memberto the first auxiliary component central opening without any discreteretainers or fasteners, the stem mounting portion being the solecomponent that attaches the anchor member to the first auxiliarycomponent. A vent port extends through the anchor member. The vent porthas a lower end disposed on the seal member lower side in fluidcommunication with the controlled pressure zone and an upper enddisposed on the stem upper end in fluid communication with an area ofambient pressure. The vent port upper end is centered within a stemlanding zone on the stem upper end that maintains a substantiallyuniform annular shape at a substantially fixed location relative to thefirst auxiliary component during normal use of the anchoring apparatus.A second auxiliary component is slidably mounted to the first auxiliarycomponent and movable between a first position and a second position,the second auxiliary component and the first auxiliary component beingdiscrete components formed independently of each other. The firstposition of the second auxiliary component represents a vent portclosure position wherein the second auxiliary component directly engagesthe stem landing zone and blocks the vent port to prevent the passage ofair therethrough, such that the controlled pressure zone is renderedairtight and the base seal member will resist movement of the anchoringapparatus away from the reference surface when the base seal member isflexed in a manner that increases the volume of the controlled pressurezone and decreases the air pressure therein. The second position of thesecond auxiliary component represents a vent port open position whereinthe second auxiliary component lifts out of engagement with the stemlanding zone and unblocks the vent port to allow the passage of airtherethrough, such that the controlled pressure zone is vented to thearea of ambient pressure and the base seal member will not resistmovement of the anchoring apparatus away from the reference surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other features and advantages will be apparent fromthe following more particular description of example embodiments, asillustrated in the accompanying Drawings.

FIG. 1 is an upper perspective view showing an anchoring apparatusaccording to an example embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded upper perspective view showing theanchoring apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fully exploded upper perspective view showing the anchoringapparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an upper perspective view showing an anchor member of theanchoring apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4A is an upper perspective view showing an alternative anchormember of the anchoring apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a further upper perspective view showing the anchor member ofFIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a lower perspective view showing the anchor member of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view showing the anchor member of FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view showing the anchor member of FIG. 4.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional centerline view showing the anchoringapparatus of FIG. 1 with an open vent port.

FIG. 10 is a side elevation view showing the anchoring apparatus of FIG.1 with a closed vent port.

FIG. 11 is a lower perspective view showing a modified second auxiliarycomponent of the anchoring apparatus of FIG. 1 according to analternative embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional centerline view showing the anchoringdevice of FIG. 1 with the modified second auxiliary component of FIG.11.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional centerline view showing a modified secondauxiliary component of the anchoring apparatus of FIG. 1 according toanother alternative embodiment, with the modified second auxiliarycomponent being in proximity to a modified anchor member of theanchoring apparatus.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional centerline view showing a modified secondauxiliary component of the anchoring apparatus of FIG. 1 according toanother alternative embodiment, with the component being in proximity toa modified anchor member of the anchoring apparatus.

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional centerline view showing a modified secondauxiliary component of the anchoring apparatus of FIG. 1 according toanother alternative embodiment, with the second auxiliary componentbeing in proximity to a modified anchor member of the anchoringapparatus.

FIG. 16 is an upper perspective view showing an anchoring apparatusaccording to another example embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a side elevation view showing the anchoring apparatus of FIG.16.

FIG. 18 is a fully exploded upper perspective view showing the anchoringapparatus of FIG. 16.

FIG. 19 is a side elevation view showing the anchoring apparatus of FIG.16 with an open vent port.

FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional centerline view showing the anchoringdevice of FIG. 16 with a closed vent port.

FIG. 21 is an upper perspective view showing an anchoring apparatusaccording to another example embodiment.

FIG. 22 is a side elevation view showing the anchoring apparatus of FIG.21.

FIG. 23 is a fully exploded upper perspective view showing the anchoringapparatus of FIG. 21.

FIG. 24 is a fully exploded lower perspective view showing the anchoringapparatus of FIG. 21.

FIG. 25 is a side elevation view showing the anchoring apparatus of FIG.21 with an open vent port.

FIG. 25A is a side elevation view showing a modified version of theanchoring apparatus of FIG. 21 with an open vent port.

FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional centerline view showing the anchoringapparatus of FIG. 21 with a closed vent port.

FIG. 26A is a cross-sectional centerline view showing a modified versionof the anchoring apparatus of FIG. 21 with a closed vent port.

FIG. 27 is an exploded upper perspective view showing the anchoringapparatus of FIG. 21 with a cap member thereof configured as a universalcarrier, and with the carrier being connected to an attachment forcarrying a smartphone.

FIG. 28 is an exploded upper perspective view showing the anchoringapparatus of FIG. 21 with a cap member thereof configured as a universalcarrier, and with the carrier being connected to an attachment forcarrying a liquid-containing bottle.

FIG. 29 is an upper perspective view showing the anchoring apparatus ofFIG. 21 with an alternative cap member thereof configured as a dedicatedattachment for carrying a smartphone.

FIG. 30 is an upper perspective view showing the anchoring apparatus ofFIG. 21 with another alternative cap member thereof configured as adedicated attachment for carrying writing implements.

FIG. 31 is a cross-sectional centerline view showing an anchoringapparatus according to another embodiment, with an open vent port.

FIG. 32 is a cross-sectional centerline view showing the anchoringapparatus of FIG. 31 with a closed vent port.

FIG. 33 is a cross-sectional centerline view showing an anchoringapparatus according to another embodiment, with an open vent port.

FIG. 34 is a cross-sectional centerline view showing the anchoringapparatus of FIG. 33 with a closed vent port.

FIG. 35 is a cross-sectional centerline view showing an anchoring deviceaccording to another embodiment, with an open vent port.

FIG. 36 is a cross-sectional centerline view showing the anchoringdevice of FIG. 35 with a closed vent.

FIG. 37 is a cross-sectional centerline view showing an anchoring deviceaccording to another embodiment, with an open vent port.

FIG. 38 is a cross-sectional centerline view showing the anchoringdevice of FIG. 37 with a closed vent.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

Turning now to the drawing figures, in which like reference numbersillustrate like structure in all of the several views, FIGS. 1-3illustrate one possible embodiment a quick-release anchoring apparatus 2that may be constructed in accordance with the present disclosure. Theanchoring apparatus 2 may be used to provide a unique holder or carrierfor one or more items or materials, and provides directional release andattachment capability that allows the apparatus to be secured to areference surface 4 (FIG. 1) and quickly released therefrom as needed.In the illustrated embodiment, the anchoring apparatus 2 includes ananchor member 6, a first auxiliary component 8 to which the anchormember is rigidly self-mounted (FIG. 2), and a second auxiliarycomponent 10 that is slidably mounted to the first auxiliary component(FIGS. 2-3). As described in more detail below, the first auxiliarycomponent 8 serves as an anchor member carrier that may be fixedlymounted to the anchor member 6. As further described below, the secondauxiliary component 10 serves as a movable member or valve actuator thatmoves relative to the first auxiliary component 8 and the anchor member6 between and upper first position and a lower second position toselectively actuate a sealing function performed by the anchor member.Although the first auxiliary component 8 and the second auxiliarycomponent 10 are mechanically interconnected, they are discretecomponents formed independently of each other and thereafter combinedduring assembly of the anchoring apparatus 2.

Turning now to FIGS. 4-6, the anchor member 6 may be formed entirely asa unitary single-component article manufactured by way ofinjection-molding or using any other suitable technique. The anchormember 6 could also be formed as an assembly of two or moresub-components. However, a unitary single-component design may be themost cost-effective approach. In its various embodiments, the anchormember 6 can be made from any suitable resilient material that issufficiently non-porous, flexible and pliant during normal use of theanchoring apparatus 2 to form an effective seal with the referencesurface 4. Silicone rubber having a suitable hardness and densityrepresents one such material. Other resilient materials may also beused. Although many different configurations are possible, the anchormember 6 may fundamentally include a base seal member 11 having a sealmember upper side 12, a seal member lower side 14, and a seal memberperipheral edge 16 that defines an outer periphery 18 of the seal memberupper side and the seal member lower side. As additionally shown inFIGS. 7-8, the outer periphery 18 of the base seal member 11 may be ofsubstantially circular shape, with other shapes also being possible.

As noted above, the anchoring apparatus 2 may be used as a holder orcarrier for one or more items or materials. Examples of specific holderand carrier apparatus are described below in connection with FIGS.16-38. Embodiments of the anchoring apparatus 2 may be used to adheremany different types of items or materials (including but not limited tobeverage-containing vessels) to the reference surface 4 (such as a tabletop) by establishing and maintaining a controlled pressure zone thatgenerates a partial vacuum to resist tipping when certain side loads(and/or vertical loads) are applied to the anchoring apparatus. In eachof the disclosed anchoring apparatus embodiments, the partial vacuum maybe released (sometimes surreptitiously) and the anchoring apparatuslifted away from the reference surface 4 (sometimes without discernibleresistance) when the anchoring apparatus (or an article carried thereby)is grasped and maneuvered in a manner consistent with normal liftingthereof.

In some embodiments, the anchor member 6 may be constructed as a suctioncup in which the base seal member 11 is sufficiently stiff and concaveon its lower surface 14 to require that the anchoring apparatus 2 beactively pushed against the reference surface 4 to flatten the base sealmember and develop a sealed controlled pressure zone. In such cases,releasing the anchoring apparatus 2 will cause the base seal member 11to experience a partial elastic rebound that generates a negativepressure differential in the controlled pressure zone (relative toambient pressure outside the controlled pressure zone), thereby adheringthe anchoring apparatus to the reference surface 4 with an initialsuction force. In other embodiments, the base seal member 11 may takethe form of a suction seal stabilizer in which the base seal member issufficiently pliable and non-concave on its lower surface 14 so as notto require that the anchoring apparatus 2 be actively pushed against thereference surface 4 to flatten the base seal member. In such cases, theanchoring apparatus may be self-sealing (self-anchoring) in a mannerthat is not noticeable to a user. Moreover, the base seal member 11 maynot experience sufficient elastic rebound to generate any noticeablenegative pressure differential after being placed on the referencesurface 4. Lifting the anchoring apparatus 2 can in many cases performedwithout any apparent resistance being offered by the seal member 11,thus facilitating stealth mode operation. Additional differences betweenthe two types of anchoring members (i.e., suction cups and suction sealstabilizers) are discussed in the Background section above.

A vent port 20 may extend centrally through the anchor member 6,including through the seal member upper side 12 and the seal memberlower side 14. The vent port 20, which may be circular or of any othersuitable cross-sectional shape, includes a vent port upper end 22 (FIGS.4-6) disposed above the seal member upper side 12. A vent port lower end24 (FIG. 6) is disposed on the seal member lower side 14. In theillustrated embodiment of FIGS. 4-6, the vent port 20 may be configuredas a straight vertically-oriented cylindrical bore of constant diameterthat extends from the vent port upper end 22 to the vent port lower end24. In other embodiments (described in more detail below) the vent port20 may not have a constant diameter (e.g, it may be stepped, tapered,etc.).

In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 4-6, the vent port upper end 22is located at the top of a central anchor member stem 26 that may beintegrally formed on the base seal member 11 in order to facilitaterigid self-mounting of the anchor member 6 to the first auxiliarycomponent 8 of the anchoring apparatus 2. The anchor member stem 26 mayinclude a stem lower end 28 (FIGS. 4-5) disposed on the seal memberupper side 12, and a raised stem upper end 30 (FIGS. 4-6) disposed somedistance above the stem lower end. In the illustrated embodiment, thevent port 20 extends concentrically through the anchor member stem 26,along a central vertical axis thereof. In this configuration, the ventport upper end 22 will be disposed on the stem upper end 30, andcentered within an annular stem landing zone 31 of the stem upper end 30that is configured for engagement with the second auxiliary component10. Advantageously, the stem landing zone 31 maintains a substantiallyuniform annular shape at a substantially fixed location (relative to thefirst auxiliary component 8) during normal use of the anchoringapparatus 2. This may be accomplished by designing the anchor memberstem 26 so as to be relatively rigid as compared to the base seal member11.

In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 4-6, the relative rigidity of theanchor member stem 26 is due in part to the fact that itsheight-to-width ratio is low and the stem width is relatively high ascompared to the vent port diameter. For example, the height of theanchor member stem 26 as measured between its lower end 28 and its upperend 30 may be approximately the same as its lower end diameter, therebyproviding a stem-height-to-width ratio of 1:1. In the illustratedembodiment, the lower end 28 of the anchor member stem 26 represents themaximum diameter of the stem. Various other stem-height-to-width ratioscould also be used, depending on the material used for the anchor member6 and the desired rigidity of the anchor member stem 26. The width ofthe anchor member stem 26 as measured at its smallest diameter sectionmay be at least twice the width of the vent port 20 as measured at itslargest diameter section, thereby providing a stem-to-vent-port-widthratio of at least 2:1. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper end 30of the anchor member stem 26 represents the minimum diameter of thestem. Various other stem-to-vent-port-width ratios could also be used,again depending on the material used for the anchor member 6 and thedesired rigidity of the anchor member stem 26. As noted above, formingthe anchor member stem 26 so as to be relatively rigid establishes astable configuration and position for the stem landing zone 31 (and thusthe vent port upper end 26). This stable configuration and positionassists in closing the vent port 20 when placing the anchoring apparatus2 on the reference surface 4 because the vent port will remain in properalignment with the second auxiliary component 10 as the latter descendsinto sealing engagement therewith. As discussed in more detail below,side loads applied to the anchoring apparatus 2 will also be moreefficiently transferred to the base seal member 11 with a relativelyrigid anchor member stem 26, allowing the anchor member 6 to reactquickly to initiate or increase its grip the reference surface 4 whenthe anchoring apparatus is so loaded.

The relative rigidity of the anchor member stem 26 extends not only fromthe stem upper end 30 to the stem lower end 28, but also through theunderlying portion of the base seal member 11 that extends below thevent port lower end 24 to the seal member lower side 14. The anchormember stem 26 is thus well supported and dimensionally stable in thevertical direction. This also assists in closing the vent port 20 whenplacing the anchoring apparatus 2 on the reference surface 4 because thevent port will always be engaged by the second auxiliary component 10when the latter descends to a predetermined vertical position. Therelative rigidity of the anchor member stem 26 extending down to theseal member lower side 14 in the vicinity of the vent port lower end 24is in contrast to the relatively thin and flexible configuration of theremaining major peripheral portion of the base seal member 11 extendingoutwardly from the lower end region of the anchor member stem to theperipheral edge 14.

As noted above, the maximum diameter of the anchor member member stem 26in the illustrated embodiment is at its lower end 28. In a medialsection of the anchor member stem 26 that begins above the lower end 28,the anchor member stem may taper to a smaller diameter section thatcontinues above the medial section to the stem upper end 30. As can beseen in FIGS. 4-6, this upwardly tapering portion of the anchor memberstem 26 may form a frustocone that defines the medial section. Tofacilitate mounting of the anchor member 6 to the auxiliary component 8,an annular groove (channel) 32 may be formed at a suitable location onthe anchor member stem 26, such as immediately below the tapered medialsection. As described in more detail in connection with FIGS. 9-10, theannular groove 32 may engage an anchor member mounting bore 34 formed inthe first auxiliary component 8, the bore having a bore upper end 36, abore lower end 38, and a bore sidewall 40.

As depicted in FIG. 4A, a modified anchor member 6A may be provided thatincludes the same structural features as the anchor member 6 (as shownby the use of corresponding reference numbers appended with the letter“A”). The modified anchor member 6A differs from the anchor member 6insofar as the anchor member stem 26A is formed with a helical groove33A that provides a thread to assist in mounting the anchor member stemto the bore 34 in the first auxiliary component 8. The groove 33A mayextend upwardly from the annular groove and wrap partially (or wholly)around the anchor member stem 26A to provide any desired number ofthread turns. In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 4A, the groove 33Awraps between 90-180 degrees, but this is but one example configuration.The thread embodied by the groove 33A provides the ability to rotate theanchor member stem 26A through the bore 34 instead of trying to thrustthe stem in a strictly axial manner, which could damage the firstauxiliary component 8.

With additional reference now to FIGS. 9-10, the first auxiliarycomponent 8 of the anchoring apparatus 2 may be embodied as anystructure that is configured for vertically fixed mounting to the anchormember stem 26 without the use of discrete connecting members, such asfasteners, retainers, etc. This characteristic allows the anchor member6 to be rigidly self-mounted to the first auxiliary component 8 in astable vertically fixed relationship therewith. FIGS. 9-10 depict oneoptional configuration wherein the first auxiliary component 8 takes theform of a rigid (or semi-rigid) main body 42 (e.g., plastic, siliconerubber, etc.) that extends outwardly away from the anchor member stem 26for some distance. By way of example only, the main body 42 may beformed as a generally circular disk-like structure that surrounds theanchor member stem 26.

The first auxiliary component 8 may be mounted to the anchor member stem26 by virtue of rigid engagement with a stem mounting portion that maybe implemented using the above-mentioned annular groove 32 formed on theanchor member stem 26. As previously noted, the annular groove 32 may besituated immediately below the tapered medial section of the anchormember stem 26. The anchor member mounting bore 34 of the firstauxiliary component 8 may be centrally formed in the main body 42. Asdiscussed above, the anchor member mounting bore 34 extends verticallybetween a bore upper end 36 and a bore lower end 38, and has a boresidewall 40. It will be appreciated that the position of the boresidewall 40 relative to the center of the main body 42 is dictated bythe diameter of the bore.

The rigid inter-engagement of the annular groove 32 with the anchormember mounting bore 34 includes the back of the groove engaging thebore sidewall 40 and the upper and lower sidewalls of the grooverespectively engaging the bore upper and lower ends 36 and 38, togetherwith adjacent surface portions of the first auxiliary component's mainbody 42. The walls of the annular groove 32 serve to provide engagementprojections that engage the anchor member mounting bore 34 and adjacentstructure of the first auxiliary component 8. Advantageously, thefrustocone shape of the anchor member stem 26 immediately above theannular groove 32 aids in mounting the first auxiliary component 8 tothe anchor member 6 by compressibly deforming the anchor member stem asit advances through the anchor member mounting bore 34 until the annulargroove seats in the bore. As discussed above, the mounting operation maybe further assisted by using the anchor member 6A of FIG. 4A thatincludes the helical groove 33A on its anchor member stem 26A tofacilitate threaded mounting.

The connection between the anchor member 6 and the first auxiliarycomponent 8 may be improved by adhering to several design guidelines. Asa first design guideline, the spacing of the bore upper and lower ends36 and 38 (which defines the thickness of the first auxiliarycomponent's main body 42 proximate to the anchor member mounting bore34) may be chosen to closely match the spacing of the upper and lowersidewalls of the annular groove 32. As a second design guideline, thediameter of the anchor member mounting bore 34 may be chosen to closelymatch the diameter at the back of the annular groove 32. Adherence tothe first and second design guidelines will ensure a tight fit betweenthe main body 42 and the anchor member stem 26. As a result, side loadsapplied to the anchoring apparatus 2 will be quickly and efficientlytransferred to the anchor member 6, allowing the base seal member 11 torapidly initiate or increase its grip on the reference surface 4 inresponse to the loads.

As a third design guideline, the radial depth of the annular groove 32may be chosen to maximize the interfacial engagement between upper andlower sidewalls of the annular groove and the upper and lower surfacesof the main body 42 proximate to the anchor member mounting bore 34.Adherence to the third design guideline will ensure a stable and secureconnection between the anchor member stem 6 and the first auxiliarycomponent 8, and thus the remaining structure of the anchoring apparatus2 (of which the first auxiliary component forms a part). Detachment ofthe anchor member 6 from the remainder of the anchoring apparatus 2during normal use will thus be unlikely,

As a fourth design guideline, the location of the annular groove 32 maybe chosen to be as close to the seal member upper side 12 as possible.For example, as shown in FIGS. 9-10, the annular groove 32 may be spacedfrom the seal member upper side 12 by a distance that is approximatelythe thickness of the base seal member 11 between its upper an lowersides 12 and 14. Other locations proximate to the seal members upperside 12 may also be used. Adherence to the fourth design guidelineminimizes rotational moments introduced into the base seal member 11 asa result of side loads applied to the anchoring apparatus 2. Asdescribed in more detail below in connection with FIGS. 6 and 8,minimizing the rotational moments imparted to the base seal member 11will facilitate more gradual deformation thereof in response to sideloads, allowing the seal member lower side 14 to gradually peel awayfrom the reference surface with a corresponding gradual increase ingripping strength. In contrast, large rotational moment shock loadsimparted quickly to the base seal member 11 can result in rapidseparation of the seal member lower side 14 from the reference surface4, causing the anchor member 6 to rip away from the reference surfaceand thereby overturn the anchoring apparatus 2.

Observance of the foregoing design guidelines, coupled with the inherentrigidity and relative non-movability of the anchor member stem member 26itself, results in an assembly in which the anchor member stem and thefirst auxiliary component 8 will act in concert during normal use of theanchoring apparatus 2. These two structures will act as if they areformed integrally with each other as a single unit despite the fact thatthe anchor member stem 26 and the first auxiliary component 8 areseparate structures that are interconnected without the use of discreteconnecting members, such as retainers or fasteners. If the base sealmember 11 is additionally considered, the resultant combination may belikened to a natural tree, with the anchor member stem 26 representingthe trunk, the first auxiliary component 8 (as well as the secondauxiliary component 10) representing the branches, and the base sealmember 11 representing the roots. External loads applied to theanchoring apparatus 2 may be likened to the wind. Such forces will bequickly and efficiently transferred from the first auxiliary component 8to the anchor member stem 26 via their rigid inter-engagement, thenreacted down the rigid anchor member stem to the deformable base sealmember 11, which will in turn resiliently stabilize the anchoringapparatus 2 via the base seal member's adherence to the referencesurface 4.

The first auxiliary component 8 may optionally include additionalstructure integrated with or otherwise connected to the main body 42. InFIGS. 9-10, the additional structure of the first auxiliary component 8includes a secondary body 44 that extends upwardly from the periphery ofthe main body 42 for some distance. By way of example only, thesecondary body 44 may be formed as a tube-like structure that surroundsthe main body 42. If desired, a tertiary body 46 of the first auxiliarycomponent 8 may extend downwardly from the periphery of the main body 42to help stabilize the anchoring apparatus 2 on the reference surface 4.By way of example only, the tertiary body 46 may be formed as atube-like structure that surrounds the main body 42 and has the samediameter as the secondary body 44. As shown in FIG. 10, the tertiarybody 46 may extend down to the base seal member's upper side 12 when theanchoring apparatus 2 is adhered to the reference surface 4, providedthat the base seal member's peripheral edge 14 extends laterally beyondthe lower edge of the tertiary body. Alternatively, the tertiary body 46may extend down to the reference surface 4 when the anchoring apparatusis adhered thereto, provided that the base seal member's peripheral edge14 lies within the perimeter of the tertiary body.

The second auxiliary component 10 of the anchoring device 2 may bemovable between an upper position (shown in FIG. 9) and a lower position(shown in FIG. 10). In the lower position, the second auxiliarycomponent 10 engages the stem landing zone 31 defined on the upper end30 of the anchor member stem 26. This engagement closes the vent port 20and seals the controlled pressure zone, shown by reference number 48,below the seal member lower side 14. In the upper position, the secondauxiliary component 10 lifts away from the upper end 30 of the anchormember stem 26, thereby venting the controlled pressure zone 48 to anarea of ambient pressure outside the controlled pressure zone, which maybe atmospheric pressure.

The second auxiliary component 10 may be configured as any movablestructure having the ability to engage the stem landing zone 31 and forma sealable interface therewith that closes the vent port 20 in anairtight manner. FIGS. 9-10 depict one optional configuration whereinthe second auxiliary component 10 takes the form of a rigid (orsemi-rigid) main body 50 (e.g., plastic, silicone rubber, etc.) situatedabove the stem upper end 30. By way of example only, the main body 50may be formed as a generally circular disk-like structure. In theembodiment of FIGS. 9-10, the stem landing zone 31 and a center portionof the main body 50 that engages the stem landing zone are both planarto provide a planar sealable interface configuration. In otherembodiments described in more detail below, various non-planarconfigurations may be used to provide non-planar sealable interfaces.

The second auxiliary component 10 may optionally include additionalstructure integrated with or otherwise connected to the main body 50. InFIGS. 9-10, the additional structure of the second auxiliary component10 includes a secondary body 52 that extends upwardly from the peripheryof the main body 50 for some distance. By way of example only, thesecondary body 52 may be formed as a tube-like structure that surroundsthe main body 50.

In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 9-10, the secondary body 52 ofthe second auxiliary component 10 faces the secondary body 44 of thefirst auxiliary component 8, and is situated in closely spacedrelationship therewith. This arrangement provides a slidable mountingconfiguration whereby the second auxiliary component 10 is slidablymounted to the first auxiliary component 8 in a manner that allows thefirst auxiliary component to guide the second auxiliary component duringthe latter component's up and down movement. Although FIGS. 9-10 showthe secondary body 52 of the second auxiliary component 10 being nestedwithin the secondary body 44 of the first auxiliary component 8, therelationship of parts could be reversed. Thus, the secondary body 44 ofthe first auxiliary component 8 could be nested within the secondarybody 52 of the second auxiliary component 10.

If desired, the first auxiliary component 8 and the second auxiliarycomponent 10 may be interconnected at one or more locations to preventinadvertent disassembly of the anchoring apparatus 2 during use. Thisallows the anchoring apparatus 2 to be lifted from the reference surface4 by grasping the second auxiliary component 10 (or another structureconnected thereto), and performing an upward lifting gesture. Theinterconnection(s) between the auxiliary components 8 and 10 may beprovided at any suitable location on the anchoring apparatus 2, in anysuitable manner. FIGS. 9-10 illustrate one non-limiting example whereinone or more connections are provided by inter-engaging slots and tabs.In particular, the secondary body 44 of the first auxiliary component 8may be formed with one or more elongated slots 44A on its insidesurface, and the secondary body 52 of the second auxiliary component 10may be formed with one or more opposing tabs 52A on its outside surface.When the second auxiliary component 10 moves upwardly from its lowerposition shown in FIG. 10 to its upper position shown in FIG. 9, thetabs 52A engage the top of the slots 44A to stop further upwardmovement. In this way, the second auxiliary component 10 will remain inengagement with the first auxiliary component 8. It will be appreciatedthat the arrangement of parts could be reversed, with the secondary body44 of the first auxiliary component 8 having tabs and the secondary body52 of the second auxiliary component 10 having slots.

In FIG. 9, the anchoring apparatus 2 is in a state wherein the secondauxiliary component 10 has been lifted to its upper position to open thevent port 20, and the anchoring apparatus is either in the process ofbeing lowered onto the reference surface 4 or raised therefrom. Becausethe controlled pressure zone 48 is vented, raising the anchoringapparatus 2 may be performed without any suction resistance beingoffered by the base seal member 11. In the illustrated state of theanchoring apparatus 2, the lower side 10 of the base seal member 11 may(or may not) have a cambered concave configuration, depending on thedesign of the anchor member 6.

In FIG. 10, the anchoring apparatus 2 is in a state wherein it has beenplaced onto the reference surface 4 and the second auxiliary component10 is in its lower position with the vent port 20 being closed.Moreover, the base seal member 11 may have deformed into a state inwhich the seal member lower side 14 is fully or partially flattenedagainst the reference surface 4. If the anchor member 6 is a suctioncup, the seal member lower side 14 might not assume a flattened stateuntil the anchoring apparatus 2 is actively pushed downwardly with somedegree of force. If the anchor member 6 is a properly-designed suctionseal stabilizer, the weight of the anchoring apparatus 2 alone, or theanchoring apparatus in combination with whatever item(s) or material(s)it carries, may be enough to flatten the seal member lower side 10. Ineither case, because the controlled pressure zone 48 is not vented, anyattempt to destabilize the anchoring apparatus 2 without raising thesecond auxiliary component 10 will result in suction resistance beinggenerated by the base seal member 11, thereby maintaining the anchoringapparatus upright and in contact with the reference surface 4.

Comparing FIGS. 9 and 10, it will be seen that the stem landing zone 31and the main body 50 of the second auxiliary component 10 are configuredfor efficient mutual engagement so as to promote superior sealing of thevent port 20. In the illustrated embodiment, the lower side of the mainbody 50 completely blankets the stem landing zone 31 by covering theentire surface area thereof, and may in fact be several times larger inareal extent. For example, if the main body 50 and the stem landing zone31 are both circular, the diameter of the main body may be at least twoor more times larger than the diameter of the stem landing zone 31. Bothstructures also have conforming surface configurations so as tofacilitate mutual surface-to-surface engagement across the entire areaof the stem landing zone 31. For example, as shown in the illustratedembodiment of FIGS. 9-10, the lower side of the main body 50 and thestem landing zone 31 may each be substantially planar. In this way,there is little possibility that the main body 52 will not affirmativelyengage the stem landing zone 31 and form an airtight planar sealableinterface that closes the vent port 20.

As alternatively shown in FIGS. 11-12, the second auxiliary component 10may be optionally configured with a stem engagement structure 50Aextending downwardly from the lower side of the main body 50. In theillustrated embodiment, the stem engagement structure 50A is ringshaped, and is sized and positioned to engage the stem landing zone 31in surrounding concentric relationship with the vent port 20 in the ventport closure position of FIG. 12. Other engagement structureconfigurations (such as a solid boss instead of a ring) could also beused. It will be appreciated that instead of the stem engagementstructure 50A being formed on the main body 50, it could be formed onthe stem landing zone 31 and extend upwardly therefrom.

Proper alignment between the stem engagement structure 50A and the stemlanding zone 31 may be ensured by designing the anchor member stem 26and the second auxiliary component 10 to have minimal lateral mobilityand minimal rotational capability relative to their respective verticalaxes. As previously discussed, minimizing positional movement of theanchor member stem 26 may be achieved by limiting its stemheight-to-width ratio and by maximizing the its stem-to-vent-port widthratio, such that the anchor member stem is substantially rigid.Minimizing positional movement of the second auxiliary component 10 maybe achieved by designing this component so that its secondary body 52 isvery closely spaced from the secondary body 44 of the first auxiliarycomponent 8 so as to limit any tolerances between these components, butwithout restricting the ability of the second auxiliary component slideup and down with respect to the first auxiliary component.

It will be seen in FIGS. 1-3 and 9-10 that the anchoring apparatus 2 maybe implemented as a three-component assembly whose components includethe seal member 6, the first auxiliary component 8, and the secondauxiliary component 10. When the anchoring apparatus 2 is resting on thesupport surface 4 in the manner shown in FIG. 10, a user can grasp thesecondary body 52 of the second auxiliary component 10, or a structureattached thereto (not shown), and lift the anchoring apparatus 2upwardly in a normal manner. Doing so will lift the second auxiliarycomponent 10 to its upper position (as shown in FIG. 9), unblock thevent port 20, and vent the controlled pressure zone 48. As a result, theanchoring apparatus 2 may then be lifted away from the reference surface4 without any apparent resistance above and beyond its own weight andthe weight of any item(s) or material(s) being carried thereby. If, onthe other hand, the anchoring apparatus 2 is resting on the referencesurface 4 and is impacted by a side load that would otherwise tip theanchoring apparatus and dislodge or spill the item(s) or material(s)carried thereby, the vent port 20 will remain closed so long as the stemlanding zone 31 is engaged by the main body 50 of the second auxiliarycomponent 10. Instead of the anchoring apparatus 2 tipping, the baseseal member 11 will deform in a manner that tends to increase the volumeof the controlled pressure zone 48, causing the air pressure therein todecrease so as to develop a dynamically increasing suction force thatstabilizes the anchoring apparatus on the reference surface 4.

Regardless whether the anchor member 6 is designed as a suction sealstabilizer or a suction cup, its configuration will be such that whenthe seal member lower side 14 engages the reference surface 4 with thevent port 20 blocked by the second auxiliary component 10, asubstantially airtight seal is formed that seals the controlled pressurezone 48. In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 1-10, the controlledpressure zone 48 represents a circular region of variable size locatedwithin the base seal member's outer periphery 14 and between the sealmember lower side 10 and the reference surface 4. The general regionwhere the controlled pressure zone 48 is capable of developing is shownin FIGS. 6 and 8. It will be appreciated that the size and shape of thecontrolled pressure zone 48 may vary according to the construction ofthe base seal member 11 and the applied forces that produce deformationsthereof during use of the anchoring apparatus 2, as will now bedescribed.

When the base seal member 11 is in sealing contact with the referencesurface 4, some portion of the seal member lower side 14 may lie flat onthe reference surface in conforming interfacial contact therewith so asto form an airtight seal region 54. The airtight seal region 54 may beannular in shape, having a radial outer edge and a radial inner edge.The controlled pressure zone 48 will tend to lie radially inside theinner edge of the annular airtight seal region 54, which establishes acontrolled pressure zone periphery.

In FIGS. 6 and 8, example locations of the airtight seal region's innerand outer edges are shown using dashed-line representations. When thebase seal member 11 is in sealing contact with the reference surface 4,the outer edge of the airtight seal region 54 may lie at or near thebase seal member's outer periphery 18, as indicated by reference number56 in FIGS. 6 and 8. This position will typically not change as a resultof subsequent deformations of the base seal member 6 so long as theanchoring apparatus 2 remains adhered to the reference surface 4. Theinner edge of the airtight seal region 58 will lie radially inwardlyfrom the base seal member's outer periphery 18, somewhere between theouter edge location 56 and the vent port 20.

In some configurations of the base seal member 11, the seal member lowerside 14 may be completely flat in the base seal member's state ofsealing contact with the reference surface 4. In that case, the airtightseal region 54 may extend all the way from its outer edge 56 to the ventport 20. Reference number 58 in FIGS. 6 and 8 indicates an exampleplacement of the airtight seal region's inner edge at this location.When the airtight seal region inner edge 58 is thus situated, thecontrolled pressure zone 48 will have a negligible volume that may bedefined solely by the area of the vent port 20, as shown by referencenumber 48A in FIGS. 6 and 8.

In other configurations of the base seal member 11, the seal memberlower side 14 may not be completely flat in the base seal member's stateof sealing contact with the reference surface 4. For example, an innercircular area of the seal member lower side 10 that is centered on thevent port 20 may be raised above the reference surface 4. One example ofthis condition is illustrated in FIG. 9. In that case, the airtight sealregion 54 may extend only part of the way from its outer edge 56 to thevent port 20, with the inner edge 58 of the airtight seal region 54being situated at the perimeter of the inner circular area where theseal member lower side 10 begins to rise above the reference surface 4.Reference number 58′ in FIGS. 6 and 8 indicates an example placement ofthe airtight seal region's inner edge at such an intermediate location.When the airtight seal region inner edge 58′ is thus situated, thecontrolled pressure zone 48 may have a non-negligible volume thatextends beyond the area of the vent port 20 to the perimeter of theraised inner circular area, as shown by reference number 48B in FIGS. 6and 8.

At some point while the base seal member 11 is in sealing contact withthe reference surface 4, the anchoring apparatus 2 may be acted byoutside forces that tend to separate the base seal member from thereference surface. Such forces include lifting forces directed away fromthe reference surface 4, tilting forces directed laterally at somedistance above the reference surface, or combinations of such forces.When outside forces of this type are applied, the natural flexibilityand pliability of the base seal member 11 will allow it to deform. Suchdeformations may be characterized by a radial inner portion of theairtight seal region 56 tending to separate from the reference surface4, causing the inner edge 58 of the airtight seal region to dynamicallyreposition radially outwardly toward the outer edge 56. Reference number58″ in FIGS. 6 and 8 represents one example dynamic repositioning of theinner edge 58 that produces an airtight seal region 54″ of reduced size.Such repositioning of the airtight seal region's inner edge 58″correspondingly produces an enlarging void at the center of the sealmember lower side 14 and thereby expands the volume of the controlledpressure zone 48. Reference number 48C in FIGS. 6 and 8 illustrates suchan expanded controlled pressure zone. The air pressure within theexpanded controlled pressure zone 48C, which is sealed in an airtightmanner, will consequently decrease in accordance with Boyle's law,thereby causing the anchoring apparatus 2 to experience increasedadherence to the reference surface 4.

As previously noted, the foregoing base seal member deformation scenarioonly arises when the vent port 20 is closed by the second auxiliarycomponent 10, as shown in FIG. 10. When the vent port 20 is open, asshown in FIG. 9, the controlled pressure zone 48 will be vented to anarea of ambient pressure outside the controlled pressure zone 48, whichmay be atmospheric pressure.

Because the underside of the main body 50 of the second auxiliarycomponent 10 engages the stem landing zone 31 and closes the vent port20 when the second auxiliary component is its lower position, the mainbody 50 may be thought of as forming a valve and the stem landing zone31 may be thought of as forming a valve seat. In FIGS. 9-10, the valveand valve seat are both planar so as to provide a planar sealableinterface. In the alternative embodiment of FIGS. 11-12, the valve seatprovided by the stem landing zone 31 is planar while the valve providedby the main body 50 of the second auxiliary component 10 is the ringshaped stem engagement structure 50A.

Further alternative valve-valve seat arrangements are shown in FIGS.13-15. In FIG. 13, an example valve-and-seat configuration is shownwherein the main body 50 of the second auxiliary component 10 is formedwith a lower disk-like protrusion 50B of cylindrical shape. The stemlanding zone 31 is modified by forming a counterbore hole 22B at theupper end 22 of the vent port 20. The counterbore hole 22B defines anannular sub-landing zone 31A that is recessed below the stem landingzone 31.

In FIG. 14, an example valve-and-seat configuration is shown wherein themain body 50 of the second auxiliary component 10 is formed with a lowercountersunk protrusion 50C shaped as a trapezoidal surface ofrevolution. The stem landing zone 31 is modified by forming acountersunk hole 22C at the upper end 22 of the vent port 20. Thecountersunk hole 22C defines a tapered sub-landing zone 31B that isrecessed below the stem landing zone 31.

In FIG. 15, an example valve-and-seat configuration is shown wherein themain body 50 of the second auxiliary component 10 is formed with a lowerring-like protrusion 50D shaped as a triangular surface of revolution.The stem landing zone 31 is modified by forming a ring depression (e.g.,a circular groove) 31C of triangular cross-section in the stem landingzone 31, with the ring depression concentrically surrounding the ventport upper end 22. It will be appreciated that the arrangement of theprotrusion 50D and the ring depression 31C could be reversed, such thatthe protrusion is formed on the stem landing zone 31 and the ringdepression is formed on the main body 50.

Turning now to FIGS. 16-20, an alternative anchoring apparatus 102 isshown that is similar to the anchoring apparatus 2 of FIGS. 1-10, andmay be formed from the same materials, but has auxiliary componentsconstructed in a particular manner according to an intended use of theanchoring apparatus. Correspondence between components of the embodimentof FIGS. 16-20 and like components of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-10 isindicated by using corresponding reference numbers incremented by 100.

FIGS. 16-18 illustrate an arrangement of the major structures of theanchoring apparatus 102. In the anchoring apparatus 102, a firstauxiliary component 108 may include a circular disk-like main body 142rigidly self-mounted to the anchor member stem 26 of the anchor member6. A tube-like secondary body 144 of the first auxiliary component 108may extend upwardly from the periphery of the main body 142 to an upperedge 160 that may be circular in shape. As additionally shown in FIGS.19-20, a tube-like tertiary body 146 of the first auxiliary component108 may extend downwardly from the periphery of the main body 142 tohelp stabilize the anchoring apparatus 102 on the reference surface 4. Asecond auxiliary component 110 may include a circular disk-like mainbody 150. A tube-like secondary body 152 of the second auxiliarycomponent 110 may extend upwardly from the periphery of the main body toan upper edge 170 that may be circular in shape. A center portion of themain body 150 may be formed with an integral mounting structure 162 thatextends upwardly therefrom and can be used to mount one or more items ormaterials “A” to be carried by the anchoring apparatus 102, or a furtherauxiliary component (not shown) that carries one or more items ormaterials. The exterior of the mounting structure 162 may be formed as astepped cylinder so as to have a lower larger diameter section 162Aproximate to the main body 150, and an upper smaller diameter section162B disposed above the larger diameter section. The interior of themounting structure 162 may be hollow (as shown), or it may be solid.Other mounting structure configurations may also be used.

The anchoring apparatus 102 may further include an optional cap member164 disposed on the upper edge 160 of the secondary body 144 of thefirst auxiliary component 108. The cap member 164 may be thought of asforming part of the first auxiliary component 108. As shown in FIGS.19-20, the cap member 164 may be include a main body 166 and a centralsecondary body 168. In the illustrated embodiment, the main body 166covers the opening formed by the upper edge 160 of the secondary body144 of the first auxiliary component 108. The main body 166 may beformed as a circular disk-like structure whose peripheral edge isconnected to the upper edge 160. This connection may be permanent, or itmay be non-permanent (e.g., a snap-in connection) so as to allow fordisassembly of the anchoring apparatus 102 and/or optional use/non-useof the cap member 164. The substantially planar configuration of themain body 166 provides a surface for carrying one or more items ormaterials “A′,” thereby allowing the cap member 164 (and by extensionthe first auxiliary component 108 to which it is attached) to functionas an item or material carrier (in addition to or in lieu of the secondauxiliary component 110). Non-planar configurations may also be used forthe main body 166. The secondary body 152 of the second auxiliarycomponent 110 may be sized so that its upper edge 170 is spaced a shortdistance below the main body 166 of the cap member 164. In this way, themain body 166 may serve as a stop connection that limits upward movementof the second auxiliary component 110 so as to prevent disassembly ofthe anchoring apparatus 102 during normal use.

The secondary body 168 of the cap member 164 may be disposed proximateto the radial center of the main body 166, in substantial axialalignment with the mounting structure 162. In the illustrated embodimentof FIGS. 16-20, the secondary body 168 is formed as adownwardly-extending tubular sleeve that is configured to slidablyreceive the upper section 162B of the mounting structure 162. Themounting structure 162 may extend through the sleeve 168 and terminateat a location above the main body 166. The bore of the sleeve 168 may besized to accommodate the smaller diameter of the upper section 162B ofthe mounting structure 162, but block passage of the larger diameterlower section 162A. This allows the bottom of the sleeve 168 tooptionally function as a stop connection that limits upward travel ofthe second auxiliary component 110.

It will be seen that the anchoring apparatus 102 may be implemented as athree-component assembly whose components include the anchor member 6,the first auxiliary component 108 (which may include the cap member164), and the second auxiliary component 110. When the anchoringapparatus 102 is resting on the support surface 4 in the manner shown inFIG. 20, a user can grasp the exposed upper end of mounting structure162, or an additional structure mounted thereto (not shown), and liftthe anchoring apparatus upwardly in a normal manner. Doing so will liftthe second auxiliary component 110 off the stem landing zone 31 andthereby vent the controlled pressure zone 48. As a result, the anchoringapparatus 102 may then be lifted away from the reference surface 4without any apparent resistance above and beyond the weight of theanchoring apparatus and the items or materials “A” and “A′” beingcarried. If, on the other hand, the anchoring apparatus 102 is restingon the reference surface 4 in the manner shown in FIG. 20 and isimpacted by a side load that would otherwise tip the anchoring apparatusand dislodge or spill the items or materials “A” or “A′,” the vent port20 will remain closed so long as the stem landing zone 31 is engaged bythe main body 150 of the second auxiliary component 110, and theanchoring apparatus will not tip due to a negative pressure differentialhaving developed in the controlled pressure zone 48.

Turning now to FIGS. 21-26, an alternative anchoring apparatus 202 isshown that is similar to the anchoring apparatus 2 of FIGS. 1-10, anduses the same anchor member 6, but has auxiliary components constructedin a particular manner according to an intended use of the anchoringapparatus. Correspondence between components of the embodiment of FIGS.21-26 and like components of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-10 is indicatedby using corresponding reference numbers incremented by 200.

FIGS. 21-24 illustrate an arrangement of the major structures of theanchoring apparatus 202. In the anchoring apparatus 202, a firstauxiliary component 208 may include a circular disk-like main body 242rigidly self-mounted to the anchor member stem 26 of the anchor member6. A tube-like secondary body 244 of the first auxiliary component 108may extend upwardly from the periphery of the main body 242 to an upperedge 260 that may be circular in shape. As additionally shown in FIGS.25-26, a tube-like tertiary body 246 of the first auxiliary component208 may extend downwardly from the periphery of the main body 242 tohelp stabilize the anchoring apparatus 202 on the reference surface 4. Asecond auxiliary component 210 may include a circular disk-like mainbody 250. A tube-like secondary body 252 of the second auxiliarycomponent 210 may extend upwardly from the periphery of the main body toan upper edge 261 that may be circular in shape. A central portion ofthe main body 250 may be formed with a central downwardly-extendingtapered plug protrusion 250A that engages the upper end 22 of the ventport 20. The tapered plug protrusion 250A may be conical in shape,having a maximum diameter at its upper base end and a minimum diameterat its lower free end. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper base endof the tapered plug protrusion 250A is larger in diameter than of thevent port 20 at its upper end 22, whereas the lower free end of thetapered plug projection is smaller than the vent port diameter. As canbe seen in FIG. 26, when the tapered plug protrusion 250A is insertedfar enough into the vent port 20, the plug protrusion's tapered outersurface will engage the side wall of the vent port upper end 22 at anintermediate location on the outer surface somewhere between the plugprotrusion's upper base end and its lower free end. This engagement willblock and seal the vent port 20 in an highly effective manner.

As best shown in FIGS. 23-24, the secondary body 252 of the secondauxiliary component 210 may be formed with one or more flexiblefree-standing prongs 262 (two are shown) that extend upwardly from theperiphery of the main body 250 to free-ends thereof that may be locatedproximate to the secondary body's upper edge 261. The outside surface ofthe prongs 262 may be formed with outwardly-extending tabs 252A. As bestshown in FIG. 23, the inside wall of the first auxiliary component'ssecondary body 244 may be formed with elongated slots 244A (one of twoare shown) that slidably receive the tabs 252A. This arrangementprovides a slidable connection between the first auxiliary component 208and the second auxiliary component 210, allowing the latter to movevertically from its closed position to its open position before the tabs252A engage the upper end of the slots 244A and prevent further upwardmovement. Advantageously, if it is desired to separate the secondauxiliary component 210 from the first auxiliary component 208 (e.g.,for cleaning), the prongs 262 can be flexed inwardly so that the tabs252A are forced out of engagement with the slots 244A.

The slidable connection between the first auxiliary component 208 andthe second auxiliary component 210 may enhanced by providing guides thatcontrol the vertical path of the second auxiliary component. As shown inFIGS. 23, 25 and 26, the first auxiliary component 208 may be formedwith one or more vertically-oriented fins 264 (one of four are shown)that project radially inwardly from the inside wall of the secondarybody 244. As shown in FIGS. 23-26, the second auxiliary component 210may be formed with one or more vertically-oriented slots 266 (four areshown in FIG. 24) that slidably engage the fins 264. The slots 266 maybe formed at the intersection of the main body 250 and the secondarybody 252 of the second auxiliary component 210. Each of the slots 266may have a closed upper end 266A that engages the upper end of thecorresponding fin 264 engaged by the slot. The upper ends of the fins264 provide one or more lower stops for the second auxiliary component210 that defines the location of the component's lower position.

As shown in FIG. 26, the lower position of the second auxiliarycomponent 210 may be characterized by the main body 250 thereof beingspaced above the stem upper end 30 of the anchor member 6, and with thetapered plug protrusion 250A extending into the vent port upper end 22to seal the vent port 20. In this embodiment, the vent port upper end 22functions as a landing zone for the second auxiliary component 210, withupper ends of the fins 264 acting as stops to prevent over-penetrationof the tapered plug protrusion 250A into the vent port 20. The height ofthe fins 264 may be selected so that the lower position of the secondauxiliary component 210 results in the tapered plug protrusion 250Apenetrating far enough into the vent port 20 to form an airtight sealwith the sides of the vent port, but without the tapered plug projectionpenetrating so far as to become jammed.

The second auxiliary component 210, and particularly the secondary body252, may carry a cap member 268. Like the first and second auxiliarycomponents 208 and 210, the cap member 268 may be formed from anysuitable rigid (or semi-rigid) material, such as plastic, siliconerubber, etc. The cap member 268 includes a main body 270 that may beformed as a circular disk-like structure having a peripheral edge 272(see FIGS. 25-26). Inboard of the peripheral edge 272, the main body 270contacts (e.g., rests on) the upper edge 261 of the second auxiliarycomponent's secondary body 252. As best shown in FIGS. 23-24, the capmember 268 may be formed with one or more prongs 274 (two are shown)that extend downwardly from the lower surface of the main body 270. Thelower free-ends of the prongs 274 may be formed with outwardly-extendingtabs 274A. Each of the one or more tabs 274A engages a slot 276 (two areshown) formed on the second auxiliary component 210 at the inside cornerdefined by intersection of the main body 250 and the secondary body 252.This arrangement provides an interconnection between the secondauxiliary component 210 and the cap member 268. Advantageously, if it isdesired to separate the cap member 268 from the second auxiliarycomponent 210 (e.g., for cleaning), the prongs 274 can be flexedinwardly so that the tabs 274A are forced out of engagement with theslots 276.

As can be seen in each of FIGS. 23-26, the main body 270 of the capmember 268 may be formed with one or more tabs 278 (four are shown) thatare spaced radially inwardly from the main body's peripheral edge 272.The one or more tabs 278 may extend downwardly along the inside wall ofthe secondary body 252 of the second auxiliary component 210. As shownin FIGS. 23-24, some or all of the tabs 278 may be formed with verticalfins 280 extending radially outwardly therefrom. The fins 280 engagevertical slots 282 (one of four is shown) formed on the inside wall ofthe second auxiliary component's secondary body 252. This arrangementhelps orient the prongs 274 when mounting the cap member 268 is attachedto the second auxiliary component 210.

As can be seen in each of FIGS. 21-26, the cap member 268 may be formedwith a mounting structure 284 that extends upwardly from the main body270. The mounting structure 284 is configured for mounting differentattachments that may be used to carry various items or materials “B” tobe secured to the reference surface 4. This allows the cap member 268 tofunction as a universal carrier for any number of different attachments.By extension, the second auxiliary component 210 (to which the capmember 268 is mounted) will also function as an item or material carrier(in addition to or in lieu of the first auxiliary component 208).

In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 21-26, the mounting structure 284is formed as a male connector with two closely-spaced vertical prongs284A of hemispherical cross-section, each having a radiallyoutwardly-extending flange 284B on its free end. In lieu of thismounting structure configuration, other types of mounting structurescould also be used. Attachments to be connected to the mountingstructure 284 may be formed with counterpart female connectors. FIG. 27depicts one example attachment 286 that may be used to carry asmartphone “S.” The smartphone carrier attachment 286 may have adisk-shaped phone-support base 286A with one or more carrier structures286B on its upper surface that are spaced apart to receive the base ofthe smartphone “S” in different angular orientations. A back supportmember 286C extends upwardly from the phone-support base 286A to receivethe back of the smartphone “S.” A tubular female connector 286D extendsdownwardly from the phone-support base 286A for connecting to themounting structure 284 of the cap member 268. To facilitate fine-grainedangular positioning of the smartphone “S,” the mounting structure 284and the smartphone carrier attachment 286 may be designed so that thefemale connector 286D of the carrier attachment can be freely rotated onthe mounting structure 284 of the cap member 268.

It will be appreciated that many other types of attachments could beconnected to the cap member's mounting structure 284. For example,attachments could be designed for holding kitchen, bath or otherhousehold items, workshop tools, and so on. Liquid holding attachmentscould also be used. FIG. 28 is illustrative. This embodiment shows anattachment 288 that may be used to hold a liquid-carrying bottle, suchas a bottle of nail polish (not shown). The bottle-holding attachment288 includes bottle receptacle 288A and a lower female mountingstructure 288B that extends downwardly from the bottle receptacle forconnecting to the mounting structure 284 of the cap member 268. Thebottle receptacle 288 may include a plurality of resilient flaps 288Cthat engage and stabilize a bottle when it is inserted into the bottlereceptacle. The attachment 288 may further include a pair of fingergripping tabs 288D that may be grasped by a user in order to lift theanchoring apparatus 202 from the reference surface 4.

It will be further appreciated that in lieu configuring the cap member268 as a universal carrier equipped with a mounting structure forsecuring different types of attachments (e.g., the smartphone carrier286 or the bottle holder 288), multiple versions of the cap member 268could be provided, with each such component being configured asdifferent type of attachment. FIG. 29 depicts an anchoring apparatus202A having an alternative cap member 268A configured as a dedicatedcarrier for a specific end use instead of a universal carrier formounting separate attachments. In this embodiment, the cap member 268Ais formed with carrier structures 290 that engage and support the baseof a smartphone “S” in different angular orientations. In thisembodiment, the cap member 268A also includes a pen/pencil holder 292.FIG. 30 depicts another anchoring apparatus 202B having an alternativecap member 268B configured as a cup-shaped carrier dedicated to holdingone or more pens, pencils or other writing implements (not shown). Thecap member 268B includes an open-top, closed-bottom cup 294 for carryingthe one or more writing implements.

Returning now to FIGS. 21-25, it will be seen that the anchoringapparatus 202 may be implemented as a three-component assembly whosecomponents include the anchor member 6, the first auxiliary component208, and the second auxiliary component 210 (which includes the capmember 268). When the anchoring apparatus 202 is resting on the supportsurface 4 in the manner shown in FIG. 26, a user can grasp an attachmentconnected to the mounting structure 284 (or the mounting structureitself if no attachment is connected thereto) and lift the anchoringapparatus upwardly in a normal manner. Doing so will lift the secondauxiliary component 210 to disengage the tapered plug projection 250Afrom the vent port 20 and thereby vent the controlled pressure zone 48.As a result, the anchoring apparatus 202 may then be lifted away fromthe reference surface 4 without any apparent resistance above and beyondthe weight of the anchoring apparatus and the items or materials “B”being carried. If, on the other hand, the anchoring apparatus 202 isresting on the reference surface 4 in the manner shown in FIG. 26 and isimpacted by a side load that would otherwise tip the anchoring apparatusand dislodge or spill the items or materials “B,” the vent port 20 willremain closed so long as the vent port 20 is engaged by the tapered plugprojection 250A of the second auxiliary component 210, and the anchoringapparatus will not tip due to a negative pressure differential havingdeveloped in the controlled pressure zone 48.

Turning now to FIGS. 25A and 26A, a modified version 202A of theanchoring apparatus 202 is shown that uses an alternative secondauxiliary component 210A that differs from the second auxiliarycomponent 210 of FIGS. 21-26. The alternative second auxiliary component210A is vertically movable relative to the first auxiliary component 208between a lower position and an upper position. The second auxiliarycomponent 210A may include a circular disk-like main body 250A on whichis formed a tube-like secondary body 252A. The secondary body 252Aextends downwardly from the main body 250A at a location that isproximate to the main body periphery. The outside surface of the secondauxiliary component's secondary body 252A may be in opposing closelyspaced relationship with the inside surface of the first auxiliarycomponent's secondary body 244 to help guide the second auxiliarycomponent's vertical motion.

The underside of the second auxiliary component's main body 250A isformed with a non-planar stem engagement structure 268A in the form of acentral elongated post protrusion that extends downwardly from the lowerside of the main body. In the illustrated embodiment, the stemengagement structure 268A is cylindrical at its upper end and has atapered tip 270A at its lower end. The stem engagement structure 268A issized and positioned to engage the vent port 20 of the anchor member 6,the upper end 22 of which is located at the upper end 30 of the anchormember stem 26. In this embodiment, the vent port 20 is shown as beingstepped inwardly so that the upper end 22 of the vent port has a smallerdiameter than the lower end 24. The diameter of the lower tip end 270Aof the stem engagement structure 268A may be slightly smaller than thevent port's smaller diameter upper end 22 so the tip end will insertinto the vent port 20 until the tapered sidewall of the stem engagementstructure (above the tip end) engages the sides of the vent port 20 toform an airtight seal. Other stem engagement structure configurations(such as a non-tapered tip) could also be used.

In order to limit the downward travel of the second auxiliary component210A, the main body 250A of the second auxiliary component may include aperipheral lip 272A that extends radially beyond the second auxiliarycomponent's secondary body 252A, and also beyond the secondary body 244of the first auxiliary component 208. The peripheral lip 272A willcontact the upper end 260 of the secondary body 244 when the secondauxiliary component 210A reaches is lower position. This contact betweenthe peripheral lip 272A and the upper end 260 of the secondary body 244prevents the stem engagement structure 268A from penetrating too farinto the vent port 20, which could in some situations result in thesecond auxiliary component 210A becoming stuck in the vent port closureposition.

The main body 250A of the second auxiliary component 210A may beconfigured as a universal carrier that can mount any number of separateattachments, each of which is configured for holding one or morespecific items. In particular, a universal mounting structure 284A mayextend upwardly from the center (or other location) of the main body250A. The universal mounting structure 284A may take the form of a maleconnector with two closely-spaced vertical prongs 284A-1 ofhemispherical cross-section, each having a radially outwardly-extendingflange 284A-2 on its free end. Many other connector designs could alsobe used. Attachments to be connected to the mounting structure 284A maybe formed with counterpart female connectors. Attachments such as thesmartphone carrier 286 of FIG. 27 and the bottle holder 288 of FIG. 28may be used, among many others.

Turning now to FIGS. 31-32, an alternative anchoring apparatus 302 isshown that is similar to the anchoring apparatus 2 of FIGS. 1-10, buthas alternative auxiliary components constructed in a particular manneraccording to an intended use of the anchoring apparatus. Correspondencebetween components of the embodiment of FIGS. 31-32 and like componentsof the embodiment of FIGS. 1-10 is indicated by using correspondingreference numbers incremented by 300.

In the anchoring apparatus 302, a first auxiliary component 308 mayinclude a circular disk-like main body 342 rigidly self-mounted to theanchor member stem 26 of the anchor member 6. A tube-like secondary body344 of the first auxiliary component 308 may extend upwardly from theperiphery of the main body 342 to an upper edge 360 that may be circularin shape. A tube-like tertiary body 346 of the first auxiliary component308 may extend downwardly from the periphery of the main body 242 tohelp stabilize the anchoring apparatus 302 on the reference surface 4. Asecond auxiliary component 310 may include a circular disk-like mainbody 350. A tube-like secondary body 352 of the second auxiliarycomponent 310 may extend upwardly from the main body 350 to an upperedge 370 that may be of circular shape.

The second auxiliary component 310 may serve as a closed-bottom,open-top vessel whose hollow interior carries a material “C,” which maybe a solid or a liquid. For example, the anchoring apparatus 302 mayserve as a drinking vessel, with the secondary body 352 of the secondauxiliary component 310 providing a grasping portion. Although notshown, the second auxiliary component 310 may be slidably connected tothe first auxiliary component 308 in any suitable manner that allows thesecond auxiliary component to move upwardly without separating from thefirst auxiliary component. See, for example, FIGS. 9-10 depicting theslot-and-tab connection arrangement provided by elements 44A and 52A ofthe anchoring apparatus 2.

It will be seen that the anchoring apparatus 302 may be implemented as athree-component assembly whose components include the anchor member 6,the first auxiliary component 308, and the second auxiliary component310. When the anchoring apparatus 302 is resting on the support surface4 in the manner shown in FIG. 32, a user can grasp the secondary body352 of the second auxiliary component 310 and lift the anchoringapparatus upwardly in a normal manner. Doing so will lift the secondauxiliary component 310 off the stem landing zone 31 and thereby ventthe controlled pressure zone 48. As a result, the anchoring apparatus302 may then be lifted away from the reference surface 4 without anyapparent resistance above and beyond the weight of the anchoringapparatus and the item or material “C” being carried. If, on the otherhand, the anchoring apparatus 302 is resting on the reference surface 4in the manner shown in FIG. 32 and is impacted by a side load that wouldotherwise tip the anchoring apparatus and dislodge or spill the item ormaterial “C,” the vent port 20 will remain closed so long as the stemlanding zone 31 is engaged by the main body 350 of the second auxiliarycomponent 310, and the anchoring apparatus will not tip due to anegative pressure differential having developed in the controlledpressure zone 48.

Turning now to FIGS. 33-34, an alternative anchoring apparatus 402 isshown that is similar to the anchoring apparatus 2 of FIGS. 1-10, buthas alternative auxiliary components constructed in a particular manneraccording to an intended use of the anchoring apparatus. Correspondencebetween components of the embodiment of FIGS. 33-34 and like componentsof the embodiment of FIGS. 1-10 is indicated by using correspondingreference numbers incremented by 400.

In the anchoring apparatus 402, a first auxiliary component 408 mayinclude a circular disk-like main body 442 rigidly self-mounted to theanchor member stem 26 of the anchor member 6. A tube-like secondary body444 of the first auxiliary component 408 may extend upwardly from theperiphery of the main body 442. An upper end portion of the secondarybody 444 may include one or more circumferentially spaced flanges 444Athat extend laterally outwardly. A tube-like tertiary body 446 of thefirst auxiliary component 408 may extend downwardly from the peripheryof the main body 442 to help stabilize the anchoring apparatus 402 onthe reference surface 4. A second auxiliary component 410 may include acircular disk-like main body 450. A tube-like secondary body 452 of thesecond auxiliary component 410 may extend upwardly from the periphery ofthe main body 408 to an upper edge 470 that may be of circular shape.

The second auxiliary component 410 may serve as a closed-bottom,open-top beverage container whose hollow interior carries a material“D,” which may be a solid or a liquid. For example, the anchoringapparatus 402 may serve as a travel mug, with the secondary body 452 ofthe second auxiliary component 410 providing a grasping portion. In thatcase, the region of the second auxiliary component 410 proximate to theupper edge 470 may have threads 472 for removably attaching a lid (notshown). As also shown, the outer surface of the secondary body 452 maybe ergonomically tapered for user convenience, such as by creating abulge near the upper edge 470.

The second auxiliary component 410 may be slidably mounted to the firstauxiliary component 408 by way of a tube-like tertiary body 474 thatextends downwardly from the secondary body 452 below the main body 450.The secondary body 444 of the first auxiliary component 408 may beslidably nested within the tertiary body 474 of the second auxiliarycomponent 410. A lower terminal portion of the tertiary body 474 may beformed with one or more circumferentially spaced flanges 474A thatextend laterally inwardly. As shown in FIG. 33, the inwardly extendingflanges 474A of the second auxiliary component's tertiary body 474 willengage the outwardly extending flanges 444A of the first auxiliarycomponent's secondary body 444 when the second auxiliary component 410reaches its upper position. This engagement provides a connection thatprevents inadvertent separation of second auxiliary component 410 fromthe first auxiliary component 408 during normal use of the anchoringapparatus 402. As can be seen in both FIGS. 33 and 34, the base sealmember 11 of the anchoring apparatus 402 may be nested entirely withinthe area defined by the periphery of the tertiary body 474 of the secondauxiliary component 410, or additionally within the tertiary body 446 ofthe first auxiliary component 408, which facilitates compact design.

It will be seen that the anchoring apparatus 402 may be implemented as athree-component assembly whose components include the anchor member 6,the first auxiliary component 408, and the second auxiliary component410. When the anchoring apparatus 402 is resting on the support surface4 in the manner shown in FIG. 34, a user can grasp the secondary body452 of the second auxiliary component 410 and lift the anchoringapparatus upwardly in a normal manner. Doing so will lift the secondauxiliary component 410 off the stem landing zone 31 and thereby ventthe controlled pressure zone 48. As a result, the anchoring apparatus402 may then be lifted away from the reference surface 4 without anyapparent resistance above and beyond the weight of the anchoringapparatus and the item or material “D” being carried. If, on the otherhand, the anchoring apparatus 402 is resting on the reference surface 4in the manner shown in FIG. 34 and is impacted by a side load that wouldotherwise tip the anchoring apparatus and dislodge or spill the item ormaterial “D,” the vent port 20 will remain closed so long as the stemlanding zone 31 is engaged by the main body 450 of the second auxiliarycomponent 410, and the anchoring apparatus will not tip due to anegative pressure differential having developed in the controlledpressure zone 48.

Turning now to FIGS. 35-36, an alternative anchoring apparatus 502 isshown that is similar to the anchoring apparatus 2 of FIGS. 1-10, buthas alternative auxiliary components constructed in a particular manneraccording to the intended use of the anchoring apparatus. Correspondencebetween components of the embodiment of FIGS. 35-36 and like componentsof the embodiment of FIGS. 1-10 is indicated by using correspondingreference numbers incremented by 500.

In the anchoring apparatus 502, a first auxiliary component 508 mayinclude a circular disk-like main body 542 rigidly self-mounted to theanchor member stem 26 of the anchor member 6. A tube-like secondary body544 of the first auxiliary component 508 may extend upwardly from theperiphery of the main body 542. An upper end portion of the secondarybody 544 may include one or more circumferentially spaced flanges 544Athat extend laterally outwardly. A tube-like tertiary body 546 of thefirst auxiliary component 508 may extend downwardly from the peripheryof the main body 542 to help stabilize the anchoring apparatus 502 onthe reference surface 4. A second auxiliary component 510 may include acircular disk-shaped main body 550. A tube-like secondary body 574 ofthe second auxiliary component 510 may extend downwardly from theperiphery of the main body 550 to a lower end portion that may includeone or more circumferentially spaced flanges 574A that extend laterallyinwardly.

The secondary body 544 of the first auxiliary component 508 may beslidably nested within the secondary body 574 of the second auxiliarycomponent 510. As shown in FIG. 35, the inwardly extending flanges 574Aof the second auxiliary component's secondary body 574 will engage theoutwardly extending flanges 544A of the first auxiliary component'ssecondary body 544 when the second auxiliary component 510 reaches itsupper position. This engagement provides a connection that preventsinadvertent separation of second auxiliary component 510 from the firstauxiliary component 508 during normal use of the anchoring apparatus502. As can be seen in both FIGS. 35 and 36, the base seal member 11 ofthe anchoring apparatus 502 may be nested entirely within the areadefined by the periphery of the secondary body 574 of the secondauxiliary component 510, or additionally within the tertiary body 546 ofthe first auxiliary component 508, which facilitates compact design.

A third auxiliary component 576 of the anchoring apparatus 502 ismounted on the second auxiliary component 510. The third auxiliarycomponent 576 includes a main body 578 that covers the main body 550 ofthe second auxiliary component 510. A secondary body 580 of the thirdauxiliary component 576 extends upwardly from the periphery of the mainbody 578 to an upper edge 582 that may be of circular shape. The thirdauxiliary component 576 may serve as a closed-bottom, open-top beveragecontainer whose hollow interior carries a material “E,” which may be asolid or a liquid. For example, the anchoring apparatus 502 may serve asa travel mug, with the secondary body 580 of the third auxiliarycomponent 576 providing a grasping portion. In that case, the region ofthe third auxiliary component 576 proximate to the upper edge 582 mayhave threads 584 for removably attaching a lid (not shown). As alsoshown, the outer surface of the secondary body 580 may be ergonomicallytapered for user convenience, such as by creating a bulge near the upperedge 582. Like the first and second auxiliary components 508 and 510,the third auxiliary component 576 may be formed of any suitable rigid(or semi-rigid) material, such as plastic, silicone rubber, etc. Thethird auxiliary component 576 may further include a tertiary body 586that extends downwardly from the periphery of the main body 578 andcovers the outside surface of the second auxiliary component's secondarybody 574, or a portion thereof.

It will be seen that the anchoring apparatus 502 may be implemented as afour-component assembly whose components include the anchor member 6,the first auxiliary component 508, the second auxiliary component 510,and the third auxiliary component 576. When the anchoring apparatus 502is resting on the support surface 4 in the manner shown in FIG. 36, auser can grasp the secondary body 580 of the third auxiliary component576 and lift the anchoring apparatus 502 upwardly in a normal manner.Doing so will lift the second auxiliary component 510 off the stemlanding zone 31 and thereby vent the controlled pressure zone 48. As aresult, the anchoring apparatus 502 may then be lifted away from thereference surface 4 without any apparent resistance above and beyond theweight of the anchoring apparatus and the item or material “E” beingcarried. If, on the other hand, the anchoring apparatus 502 is restingon the reference surface 4 in the manner shown in FIG. 36 and isimpacted by a side load that would otherwise tip the anchoring apparatusand dislodge or spill the item or material “E,” the vent port 20 willremain closed so long as the stem landing zone 31 is engaged by the mainbody 550 of the second auxiliary component 510, and the anchoringapparatus will not tip due to a negative pressure differential havingdeveloped in the controlled pressure zone 48.

Turning now to FIGS. 37-38, an alternative anchoring apparatus 602 isshown that is similar to the anchoring apparatus 2 of FIGS. 1-10, buthas alternative auxiliary components constructed in a particular manneraccording to the intended use of the anchoring apparatus. Correspondencebetween components of the embodiment of FIGS. 37-38 and like componentsof the embodiment of FIGS. 1-10 is indicated by using correspondingreference numbers incremented by 600.

In the anchoring apparatus 602, a first auxiliary component 608 mayinclude a circular disk-like main body 642 rigidly self-mounted to theanchor member stem 26 of the anchor member 6. A tube-like secondary body644 of the first auxiliary component 608 may extend upwardly from theperiphery of the main body 642. An upper end portion of the secondarybody 644 may include one or more circumferentially spaced flanges 644Athat extend laterally inwardly. A tube-like tertiary body 646 of thefirst auxiliary component 608 may extend downwardly from the peripheryof the main body 642 to help stabilize the anchoring apparatus 602 onthe reference surface 4. A second auxiliary component 610 may include acircular disk-like main body 650. A tube-like secondary body 674 mayextend downwardly from the periphery of the main body 610 to a lower endportion that may include one or more circumferentially spaced flanges674A that extend laterally outwardly. The secondary body 674 of thesecond auxiliary component 610 may be slidably nested within thesecondary body 644 of the first auxiliary component 608. As shown inFIG. 37, the outwardly extending flanges 674A of the second auxiliarycomponent's secondary body 674 will engage the inwardly extendingflanges 644A of the first auxiliary component's secondary body 644 whenthe second auxiliary component 610 reaches its upper position. Thisengagement will prevent inadvertent separation of second auxiliarycomponent 610 from the first auxiliary component 608 during normal useof the anchoring apparatus 602. As can be seen in both FIGS. 37 and 38,the base seal member 11 of the anchoring apparatus 2 may be nestedentirely within the area defined by the periphery of the tertiary body646 that extends downwardly from the periphery of the first auxiliarycomponent's main body 612, which facilitates compact design.

A third auxiliary component 676 of the anchoring apparatus 602 ismounted on the second auxiliary component 610. The third auxiliarycomponent 676 includes a main body 678 that covers the main body 650 ofthe second auxiliary component 610. A secondary body 680 of the thirdauxiliary component 676 extends upwardly from the periphery of the mainbody 678 to an upper edge 682 that may be of circular shape. The thirdauxiliary component 676 may serve as a closed-bottom, open-top beveragecontainer whose hollow interior carries a material “F,” which may be asolid or a liquid. For example, the anchoring apparatus 602 may serve asa travel mug, with the secondary body 680 of the third auxiliarycomponent 676 providing a grasping portion. In that case, the area ofthe third auxiliary component 676 proximate to the upper edge 682 mayhave threads 684 for removably attaching a lid (not shown). As alsoshown, the outer surface of the secondary body 680 may be ergonomicallytapered for user convenience, such as by creating a bulge near the upperedge 682. Like the first and second auxiliary components 608 and 610,the third auxiliary component 676 may be formed of any suitable rigid(or semi-rigid) material, such as plastic, silicone rubber, etc.

It will be seen that the anchoring apparatus 602 may be implemented as afour-component assembly whose components include the anchor member 2,the first auxiliary component 608, the second auxiliary component 610,and the third auxiliary component 676. When the anchoring apparatus 602is resting on the support surface 4 in the manner shown in FIG. 38, auser can grasp the secondary body 680 of the third auxiliary component676 and lift the anchoring apparatus 602 upwardly in a normal manner.Doing so will lift the second auxiliary component 610 off the stemlanding zone 31 and thereby vent the controlled pressure zone 48. As aresult, the anchoring apparatus 602 may then be lifted away from thereference surface 4 without any apparent resistance above and beyond theweight of the anchoring apparatus and the item or material “F” beingcarried. If, on the other hand, the anchoring apparatus 602 is restingon the reference surface 4 in the manner shown in FIG. 38 and isimpacted by a side load that would otherwise tip the anchoring apparatusand dislodge or spill the item or material “F,” the vent port 20 willremain closed so long as the stem landing zone 31 is engaged by the mainbody 650 of the second auxiliary component 610, and the anchoringapparatus will not tip due to a negative pressure differential havingdeveloped in the controlled pressure zone 48.

It will be appreciated that the various anchoring apparatus describedabove in connection with FIGS. 1-38 could be embodied in many othershapes and sizes to provide different types of carriers, holders andcontainers, including but not limited to bowls, buckets, cans, vases,urns, tanks, or any other receptacle apparatus whose function is to holdvarious types of spillable contents, such as liquids, semi-liquids,solids or semi-solids. The anchoring apparatus could also function tohold a separate carrier, holder or container, such as a can or bottleanchoring apparatus that holds a beverage can or bottle.

Accordingly, a quick-release anchoring apparatus has been disclosed.Reference in the present disclosure to an “embodiment” means that aparticular feature, structure or characteristic described in connectionwith the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of thedisclosed device. Thus, the appearances of the term “embodiment” invarious places throughout the specification are not necessarily allreferring to the same embodiment.

For purposes of explanation, specific configurations and details havebeen set forth herein in order to provide a thorough understanding ofthe present invention. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinaryskill in the art that embodiments of the present invention may bepracticed without the specific details presented herein. Furthermore,well-known features may have been omitted or simplified in order not toobscure the present invention. Various examples may be given throughoutthis description. These examples are merely descriptions of specificembodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention is not limitedto the examples given.

As used in this application, the terms such as “upper,” “lower,” “top,”“bottom,” “vertical,” “vertically,” “lateral,” “laterally,” “inner,”“outer,” “outward,” “inward,” “front,” “frontward,” “forward,” “rear,”“rearward,” “upwardly,” “downwardly,” “inside,” “outside,” “interior,”“exterior,” and other orientational descriptors are intended tofacilitate the description of the example embodiments of the presentdisclosure, and are not intended to limit the structure of the exampleembodiments of the present disclosure to any particular position ororientation. Terms of degree, such as “substantially” or “approximately”are understood by those of ordinary skill to refer to reasonable rangesoutside of the given value, for example, general tolerances associatedwith manufacturing, assembly, and use of the described embodiments.Terms of rough approximation, such as “generally,” are understood bythose of ordinary skill to refer to a characteristic or feature of thatbears resemblance to something, such that it is reasonable to draw acomparison to facilitate understanding, without requiring that thecharacteristic or feature be exactly the same, or even substantially thesame, as the thing to which it is compared.

Although example embodiments have been shown and described, it should beapparent that many variations and alternative embodiments could beimplemented in accordance with the present disclosure. It is understood,therefore, that the invention is not to be in any way limited except inaccordance with the spirit of the appended claims and their equivalents.

1. A quick-release anchoring apparatus, comprising: an anchor membercomprising a non-porous resilient material; the anchor member comprisinga flexible base seal member having a seal member upper side, a sealmember lower side, and a seal member peripheral edge defining an outerperiphery of the seal member upper side and the seal member lower side;the seal member lower side being configured to engage an externalreference surface and form a substantially airtight seal therewith thatdefines a controlled pressure zone, the controlled pressure zonecomprising a region located between the seal member lower side and thereference surface; the anchor member further comprising a central anchormember stem having a stem lower end disposed on the seal member upperside and a raised stem upper end; a first auxiliary component having acentral opening through which the anchor member stem extends; the anchormember stem comprising a stem mounting portion configured for rigidself-mounting of the anchor member to the first auxiliary componentcentral opening without discrete retainers or fasteners, the stemmounting portion being the sole component that attaches the anchormember to the first auxiliary component; a vent port extending throughthe anchor member; the vent port having a lower end disposed on the sealmember lower side in fluid communication with the controlled pressurezone and an upper end disposed on the stem upper end in fluidcommunication with an area of ambient pressure; the vent port upper endbeing centered within a stem landing zone on the stem upper end thatmaintains a substantially uniform annular shape at a substantially fixedlocation relative to the first auxiliary component during normal use ofthe anchoring apparatus; a second auxiliary component slidably mountedto the first auxiliary component and movable between a first positionand a second position, the second auxiliary component and the firstauxiliary component being discrete components formed independently ofeach other; the first position of the second auxiliary componentcomprising a vent port closure position wherein the second auxiliarycomponent directly engages the stem landing zone and blocks the ventport to prevent the passage of air therethrough, such that thecontrolled pressure zone is rendered airtight and the base seal memberwill resist movement of the anchoring apparatus away from the referencesurface when the base seal member is flexed in a manner that increasesthe volume of the controlled pressure zone and decreases the airpressure therein; and the second position of the second auxiliarycomponent comprising a vent port open position wherein the secondauxiliary component lifts out of engagement with the stem landing zoneand unblocks the vent port to allow the passage of air therethrough,such that the controlled pressure zone is vented to the area of ambientpressure and the base seal member will not resist movement of theanchoring apparatus away from the reference surface.
 2. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the anchor member stem is formed with a channel thatattaches the anchor member to the first auxiliary component, the channelhaving a base surface that engages a sidewall of the first auxiliarycomponent opening, a lower side surface that engages a lower side of thefirst auxiliary component, and an upper side surface that engages anupper side of the first auxiliary component.
 3. The apparatus of claim1, wherein the anchor member stem comprises a helical groove thatprovides a thread for mounting the anchor member stem to the firstauxiliary component opening.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein thestem landing zone is planar, and wherein the second auxiliary componentcomprises a planar lower surface that seats on the planar stem landingzone in the second position of the second auxiliary component.
 5. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the stem landing zone comprises acountersunk hole, and wherein the second auxiliary component comprises acountersunk protrusion that seats in the countersunk hole of the stemlanding zone in the second position of the second auxiliary component.6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the channel of the anchor memberstem is disposed between the seal member upper side and a taperedportion of the stem.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stemlanding zone comprises a ring depression surrounding the vent port upperend, and wherein the second auxiliary component comprises a lowersurface having a ring protrusion that seats in the ring depression onthe stem landing zone in the second position of the second auxiliarycomponent.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first auxiliarycomponent or the second auxiliary component comprises a carrierconfigured to carry an item or material.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the stem landing zone comprises a cylindrical opening that ispart of a cylindrical bore of constant or varying diameter that extendsfrom the vent port upper end to the vent port lower end, and wherein thesecond auxiliary component comprises a lower protrusion that engages theopening of the stem landing zone in the second position of the secondauxiliary component.
 10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the carrieris configured as a universal carrier that is operable to mount one ormore carrier attachments that carry items or materials.
 11. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the stem landing zone comprises acounterbore hole that includes an upper cylindrical bore having a firstdiameter that extends to a lower cylindrical bore having a seconddiameter that is smaller than the first diameter, and wherein the secondauxiliary component comprises a lower cylindrical protrusion thatengages the counterbore of the stem landing zone in the second positionof the second auxiliary component.
 12. The apparatus of claim 10,wherein the universal carrier is configured for rotatable attachment tothe one or more attachments such that the one or more attachments canrotate with respect to the anchoring apparatus.
 13. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the stem landing zone comprises either a cylindricalopening or a tapered opening, and wherein the second auxiliary componentcomprises a lower tapered plug protrusion that engages the opening ofthe stem landing zone in the second position of the second auxiliarycomponent.
 14. The apparatus of claim 12, in combination with asmartphone carrier attachment that is rotatably mounted to the universalcarrier, the smartphone carrier attachment comprising a phone supportbase and a back support member, the phone support base being configuredto receive a base edge of a smartphone and the back support member beingconfigured to receive a back of the smartphone.
 15. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the second auxiliary component is slidably nestedwithin the first auxiliary component.
 16. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the first auxiliary component is slidably nested within thesecond auxiliary component.
 17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein thesecond auxiliary component comprises a carrier configured to carry oneof a solid or liquid material.
 18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein thefirst auxiliary component comprises a carrier configured to carry one ofa solid or liquid material.
 19. A quick-release anchoring apparatus,comprising: an anchor member comprising a non-porous resilient material;the anchor member comprising a flexible base seal member having a sealmember upper side, a seal member lower side, and a seal memberperipheral edge defining an outer periphery of the seal member upperside and the seal member lower side; the seal member lower side beingconfigured to engage an external reference surface and form asubstantially airtight seal therewith that defines a controlled pressurezone, the controlled pressure zone comprising a region located betweenthe seal member lower side and the reference surface; the anchor memberfurther comprising a central anchor member stem having a stem lower enddisposed on the seal member upper side and a raised stem upper end; afirst auxiliary component having a central opening through which theanchor member stem extends; the anchor member stem comprising a stemmounting portion configured for rigid self-mounting of the anchor memberto the first auxiliary component central opening without any discreteretainers or fasteners, the stem mounting portion being the solecomponent that attaches the anchor member to the first auxiliarycomponent; a vent port extending through the seal member between theseal member upper side and the seal member lower side; the vent porthaving a lower end disposed on the seal member lower side in fluidcommunication with the controlled pressure zone and an upper enddisposed on the stem upper end in fluid communication with an area ofambient pressure; the vent port upper end being centered within a stemlanding zone on the stem upper end that maintains a substantiallyuniform annular shape at a substantially fixed location relative to thefirst auxiliary component during normal use of the anchoring apparatus;a second auxiliary component slidably mounted to the first auxiliarycomponent and movable between a first position and a second position,the second auxiliary component and the first auxiliary component beingdiscrete components formed independently of each other; the firstposition of the second auxiliary component comprising a vent portclosure position wherein the second auxiliary component directly engagesthe stem landing zone and blocks the vent port to prevent the passage ofair therethrough, such that the controlled pressure zone is renderedairtight and the base seal member will resist movement of the anchoringapparatus away from the reference surface when the base seal member isflexed in a manner that increases the volume of the controlled pressurezone and decreases the air pressure therein; the second position of thesecond auxiliary component comprising a vent port open position whereinthe second auxiliary component lifts out of engagement with the stemlanding zone and unblocks the vent port to allow the passage of airtherethrough, such that the controlled pressure zone is vented to thearea of ambient pressure and the base seal member will not resistmovement of the anchoring apparatus away from the reference surface; thesecond auxiliary component being slidably nested within the firstauxiliary component; and either the second auxiliary component, thefirst auxiliary component or both comprising a carrier configured tocarry one or more of a solid or liquid material.
 20. A quick-releaseanchoring apparatus, comprising: an anchor member comprising anon-porous resilient material; the anchor member comprising a flexiblebase seal member having a seal member upper side, a seal member lowerside, and a seal member peripheral edge defining an outer periphery ofthe seal member upper side and the seal member lower side; the sealmember lower side being configured to engage an external referencesurface and form a substantially airtight seal therewith that defines acontrolled pressure zone, the controlled pressure zone comprising aregion located between the seal member lower side and the referencesurface; the anchor member further comprising a central anchor memberstem having a stem lower end disposed on the seal member upper side anda raised stem upper end; a first auxiliary component having a centralopening through which the anchor member stem extends; the anchor memberstem comprising a stem mounting portion configured for rigidself-mounting of the anchor member to the first auxiliary componentcentral opening without any discrete retainers or fasteners, the stemmounting portion being the sole component that attaches the anchormember to the first auxiliary component; a vent port extending throughthe anchor member; the vent port having a lower end disposed on the sealmember lower side in fluid communication with the controlled pressurezone and an upper end disposed on the stem upper end in fluidcommunication with an area of ambient pressure; the vent port upper endbeing centered within a stem landing zone on the stem upper end thatmaintains a substantially uniform annular shape at a substantially fixedlocation relative to the first auxiliary component during normal use ofthe anchoring apparatus; a second auxiliary component slidably mountedto the first auxiliary component and movable between a first positionand a second position, the second auxiliary component and the firstauxiliary component being discrete components formed independently ofeach other; the first position of the second auxiliary componentcomprising a vent port closure position wherein the second auxiliarycomponent directly engages the stem landing zone and blocks the ventport to prevent the passage of air therethrough, such that thecontrolled pressure zone is rendered airtight and the base seal memberwill resist movement of the anchoring apparatus away from the referencesurface when the base seal member is flexed in a manner that increasesthe volume of the controlled pressure zone and decreases the airpressure therein; the second position of the second auxiliary componentcomprising a vent port open position wherein the second auxiliarycomponent lifts out of engagement with the stem landing zone andunblocks the vent port to allow the passage of air therethrough, suchthat the controlled pressure zone is vented to the area of ambientpressure and the base seal member will not resist movement of theanchoring apparatus away from the reference surface; the first auxiliarycomponent being slidably nested within the second auxiliary component;and either the second auxiliary component, the first auxiliary componentor both comprising a carrier configured to carry one or more of a solidor liquid material.